Cooking & Handling NC Blue Crabs
Fresh North Carolina blue crabs are one of summer’s best treats. With a little care in storage and a few simple cooking methods, you can enjoy them at their best.
Storing Live Crabs
Blue crabs will stay alive if their gills stay moist. Keep them in a well-insulated cooler with the lid cracked for airflow. Avoid leaving them upside down, which shortens their shelf life. Crabs may appear still or “play dead” when cold, but once they warm up you should see movement in their claws, eyes, or antennae.
Cooking Steamed or Frozen Crabs
Locals Seafood often carries live, fresh-steamed, and frozen crabs.
Steamed crabs: To reheat, place them in a steamer basket over a little boiling water. Avoid submerging them or using the oven, which dries out the meat. They’re also delicious cold — perfect for a beach picnic.
Frozen crabs: Thaw completely in the refrigerator before reheating. Steam just like fresh crabs once thawed.
Steaming Live Crabs
The most popular method is steaming. For large male crabs, cook for about 12 minutes on average. Season generously with seafood spice (Locals JO Spice blend is lighter than Old Bay, but preferences vary). Let the crabs cool slightly before serving warm. Warm crabs are easier to pick than cold ones.
Crab Boils
Crab boils are a classic way to feed a crowd. Along with crabs, you can add potatoes, sausage, corn, garlic, onion, and lemon. The trick is timing:
Start with potatoes.
Add sausage and corn halfway through.
Finish by layering crabs on top, adding extra seasoning (a splash of beer doesn’t hurt).
Serving and Eating
Skip the mallet, a crab cracker or butter knife works best to avoid shell splinters. Crab meat can be eaten straight from the shell or saved for pasta, soups, or crab cakes. Melted garlic herb butter or a simple seafood spice mix makes the perfect dip.